USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Norwood > Norwood annual report 1923-1927 > Part 15
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(11) Building Program
Norwood should work toward a plan which would house its school pupils in six large centers. Four for Elementary Grades I to VI, one for Junior High School, Grades VII to IX, and one for Senior High School, Grades X to XII. The larger the school the greater economy in teaching force, in janitor service, in fuel and in maintenance generally, but more important still, though less casily demonstrated, is the advantage to the pupils. The larger the number under the same roof within the limit of say thirty rooms in elementary schools and forty or more in high school, the more exact can the classification be made, the more homogeneous the grouping. For good educational results large schools are best. 1
(12) Portables Versus Half-time Classes
It will require several years to complete a building program such as has been suggested. Meanwhile provision must be made for children in excess of the seating capacity of existing buildings. The Senior-Junior High School congestion can not well be handled except by an afternoon session for a part or the whole of one of these schools. The Junior High School pupils are the ones who may with least harm be subjected to this disad- vantage. At best it is a makeshift. The pupils come to the school lacking the freshness of mind which they have in the morning and do a much poorer grade of work than they would do in the earlier part of the day. It is to be hoped that immediate steps will be taken to erect a separate Junior High School. Until this building is ready I see no way of avoiding a duplicate session plan in the High School building.
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If fewer pupils were to be accommodated relief through the purchase of portable school rooms might be recommended. This course is taken in many cities and towns to relieve temporary congestion in elementary schools and in such schools it is preferable to part time sessions. It is not a workable plan for High School pupils whose work is carried on under several different teachers and who move in squads from room to room. The time will soon come when the elementary schools of Norwood will be again congested. In that event it will be wise for the Town to own one or more portable schools. As soon as congestion is met in one part of the Town the rooms can readily be moved to remedy a similar condition else- where. School building seldom catches up with need unless a town is dead. Portables serve a useful purpose but should not be relied upon as permanent relief.
In conclusion, I am glad to report that I find conditions much improved since I saw the schools three years ago. There is evidence of progress on every liand. As one begins a study of the system in the Superintendent's office and extends his observation to include the entire ground traversed in the survey of 1920, steady careful management is in evidence. It seems to me that Norwood is well on the way toward having a model school system. All steps so far taken lead in the right direction. The building program here discussed when completed, will of course be costly, but Nor- wood is not alone in facing such a program. In counting the number of dollars we now pay for school accommodations and instruction we must not think of the dollar of 1913. That dollar would buy in material and service one and three-quarters times what the dollar of 1923 will purchase. If expenditures for school maintenance are not greatly out of proportion to other maintenance expenditures the people of Norwood may well be satisfied in view of the high quality of service their schools are rendering.
Yours very truly,
(Signed) JAMES H. VAN SICKLE.
Mr. Herbert H. Howes, Superintendent of Schools,
Norwood, Massachusetts.
My dear Mr. Howes:
I submit herewith my third annual report as Principal of the High School.
Length of School Day
A new arrangement was planned last June whereby it would be possible to have a longer school day for High School pupils. Under the previous plan there were six periods of forty minutes each in the school day with a recess of twelve minutes coming between the fourth and fifth periods.
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Under the new plan a school day of seven periods was arranged, the seventh period to be thirty-five minutes in length.
The chief advantages of a longer school day are as follows:
1. A better opportunity to schedule extra classroom activities is offered.
2. A better opportunity for supervised study in which the whole school may take part is afforded.
3. All pupils may work out at least a part of their home assignments with equal advantages, in studying them in school. The opportun- ity for study at home varies greatly.
4. A greater opportunity for school assemblies is made possible. While this is an extra classroom activity, it may be regarded as one large class in which the entire school takes part.
The only possible disadvantage that can be offered in having a longer school day is the fact that many pupils wish to work during the afternoon and with a lengthened school day, they are unable to take positions which might be open to them.
During the period which pupils of the Everett School were compelled to attend an afternoon session in the high school building, it was necessary to suspend the holding of the seventh period. Since the reopening of the Everett building, the use of the seventh period has been renewed.
With the outlook for a new school building, I would recommend that the school day be lengthened even more than at present, starting possibly at 8.30 and holding session until 2.30-a period of twenty minutes to one-half hour being allowed for lunch and recess. The trend country-wide is favoring a longer school day.
Faculty Changes
The resignations of Louisc B. McLane and Adele Mathey were received in June. They had been members of the High School Faculty for six and five years, respectively. To take Miss McLane's place as head of the Commercial Department, Miss Grace C. McGonagle was named, while the vacancy in the Commercial Department was taken by Miss Mary Coughlin. The vacancy in the French Department was taken by Miss Lucile Foster and it being necessary to increase the number of teachers in the English Department, Miss Helen Wilson was elected for that position.
New Courses
a. A course in Home Nursing has been formed, twenty girls having elected that work. This course meets twice a week and follows the regular course as planned by the American Red Cross. It is given under the direction of Miss Helen Gould.
b. A class in Folk Dancing has been formed under the direction of Miss Erna Kiley. This class mects once each week.
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c. To properly meet college requirements, it has been necessary to extend the number of periods offered for Junior Mathematics to eight. Five of these periods are used for Review and Advanced Algebra, while the remain- ing three are used for Review of Plane Geometry.
Mental Tests
The Terman Group Test of Mental Ability was given in grades 9, 10 and 11 with results which were of mnuch benefit in arrangement of classes for the school year 1923-24.
In the matter of these tests certain norms have been established which are based on a tabulation of over 40,000 scores made in grades 7-12 through- out sections of the country which have shown relatively good schools. Norms if established for the entire country would probably be slightly lower, and doubtless much lower for states which have relatively poor schools or a large proportion of relatively inferior population groups. City schools usually make a better showing than rural or village schools, and in this connection it should be noted that the norms in the accompanying table, under the country-wide column, represent chiefly city schools. The highest possible score attainable is 220. The "median" represents the score of the pupil just half way in the standing. The "Lower Quartile" one-fourth from the lowest grade and "Upper Quartile" one-fourth from the highest grade.
Table Showing Results of Mental Tests Given in Grades 9-10-11 Norwood High School-Compared with Country-wide Tests
9
10
11
Grade
Country Wide
Norwood
Country Wide
Norwood
Country Wide
Norwood
Upper Quartile Median
128 104 81
121
147
152
163
156
101 76
122
131
138
133
Lower Quartile
98
105
112
117
Number of Cases for Each Grade
10,881
183
6,730
117
4,206
77
For the school year 1923-1924 the grades represented in the table as 9-10-11 have become 10-11-12, or the Sophomore, Junior and Senior Classes respectively. It may be seen from the Norwood results as com- pared with the standards that in two classes the median is below the country-wide median, while in the remaining class the median is much above it.
It is interesting to note that these results in mental tests are, in these classes practically equivalent to the scholarship results experienced during
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last year and the present year to date. There follows a table showing the Honor Roll percentages in these classes for the first two terms 1923-24. While this speaks only for the upper quartile the results correspond closely through all groups. That is, for example, the failure group in Grades 10 and 12 was proportionately larger than that in Grade 11.
Percentage of Upper Quartile or Honor Roll Pupils by Grades
School Year Ending June 1923
First Term 1923-24
Second Term 1923-24
Grade 9 or Present Sopho- mores
13.9
+13.1
Grade 10 or Present Juniors
19.4
*23.9
*24.7
Grade 11 or Present Seniors
15.5
*17
+11.2
School
18.3
+17.7
+16.6
Gain.
+ Loss.
Subject Matter Tests
Subject matter tests are being given in most of the subjects offered and these results combined with the mental test results of a pupil will be of much service in determining what course is most advisable for that pupil to follow.
Example: A ninth grade pupil's mental test places him in the lower quartile. His subject matter tests for the work he has elected that year show corresponding results. Certainly it would be poor control to allow him to elect a College Classical Course for his tenth grade work.
Commercial Department
The following statistics show the usefulness of this department in the school and the community and the very direct benefit resulting to those who elect it.
In the graduating class of 1923, there were thirty-five Commercial students. Of this number, eleven are attending college, normal or secre- tarial schools. One pupil has returned for post-graduate work. Nine of the graduates who are now studying worked in offices either before graduation or during vacation. The remaining twenty-three pupils are employed as follows:
Superintendent of Schools' Office 1 Town Clerk's Office 1
Norwood Trust Company . 1 Norfolk County Agricultural College. 1
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Bird & Son's Office
5
Morrill Ink Company's Office. 2
Tannery Office .
1
Plimpton Press Office 1
Norwood Press Office 1
Norwood Gas Office.
1
Garage Office.
1
Boston Offices
3
Local Merchant's Office.
1
At Home.
1
Moved Away from Norwood.
2
23
It is the purpose of members of the faculty in their capacity as advisors to recommend that pupils of high calibre enter the Commercial Depart- ment. All pupils who are of high mental ability will not be able to go to college and it is believed that the best opening for many of these pupils is the four years' course offered in the High School which enables them to enter business offices directly after graduating. An additional advantage in having upper quartile pupils enter this department is the fact that there is almost equal opportunity for them to obtain higher education providing they wish to do so, after graduating as members of this department as there are for members of the class who have taken College Classical or College Technical or General Courses.
Library
The School Library now contains 425 volumes. The organization of the library has been carried forward under the direction of Miss Dorothy Abbott, aided by student librarians.
The growth of the library has been made possible by the cooperation of the Directors of the Morrill Memorial Library, $300.00 having been expended for each of the past two years for library books for use at the High School.
Through a Card Catologue System, a careful record is being kept of the uses of books both for reference purposes and general usage, and with in- crease of the number of volumes, records show much increase in use of books placed there. The dictionaries which have been in use since 1895 are this year being replaced with new ones and the general reference library has been steadily enlarged throughout the past three years, town funds being principally used for this.
Our present library is really but a beginning of what we should have and an excellent opportunity is offered for individuals who desire to assist in such a purpose. The assurance has been given by Miss Jane Hewett of the Morrill Memorial Library that the school may look forward for con- tinued assistance from that source.
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Gift of the Class of 1923
The Class of 1923 gift to the School was in the form of a Scholarship 'Fund, to which they expressed a desire should be added funds by succeed- ing classes. Through excellent effort in their class activities, particularly their play, the Class of 1923 was able to make a gift of $400 for this fund.
The following conditions governing the fund were drawn up:
1. This fund shall be known as the Class Gift Scholarship Fund of the Norwood High School and the members of any class shall be eligible to receive assistance from this fund in the form of a scholarship.
2. Two scholarships from the Class of 1923 Scholarship Gift Fund will be awarded to the classes graduating in 1924, 1925 and 1926, and one to the class graduating in 1927. To this award in 1925, shall be added two scholarships from the class of 1924 scholarship fund providing this class continues to contribute to the General Scholarship Fund. To the class of 1926, six scholarships will be awarded and awards will continue to be made in this way as long as the fund is perpetuated by class gifts.
3. Certificate of a scholarship award will be presented at graduation and the money applied toward the payment of the recipient's first term bill or tuition bill in whatever higher institution he may continue his education.
4. The annual awarding of scholarships may be withheld at the discre- tion of the Governing Board.
5. Scholarships will not be awarded to members of any class which has not contributed to the Scholarship Fund a minimum sum to be named . by the Governing Board for each class.
6. Award of scholarships shall be made by the Governing Board con- sisting of:
1. High School Principal.
2. Two members of the High School faculty.
3. A member of each graduating class which has contributed to the fund, his membership to continue as long as he is a resident of Norwood.
Graduation-1923
The Class of 1923 contains the names of eighty-nine graduates, the largest graduating class in the history of the High School.
Graduates
William Bernard Alexander
Anders Walfred Anderson Louise Mae Bailey
*Barbara Virginia Barr Dorothy Louise Bemis Helen May Blanchot
*Selim Oscar Lunden
*Mary Odessa Lynch Norman Franklin McCarthy Hallenice Harriett MacKenney
*Evelyn Marie MacWhirter
*Gertrude Mary Maier
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Kenneth Hartshorn Bullard Margaret Ruth Callahan Gladys Marie Caswell Mary Corcoran
Margaret Elizabeth Costello Richard Clifford Cuff Francis Joseph Curran Vera Louise Dailey
John Kenneth Darling John Norman DeCosta
*Hilma Elina Nyborn Mary Elizabeth O'Brien Helen Perlmutter Harold Francis Phalen
*Margaret Agnes Donovan Mary Josephine Donovan Mary Louise Doran Veronica Alice Downey Arthur LaRoy Eames Cecelia Alexandra Ekholm
Kenneth Lester Potter
Gerald Franklin Ellis Marion Louise Feeney Blanche Evelyn Fitzpatrick James Flavin
*Irene Dorothy Readel *Wilma Catherine Reardon Helen Elizabeth Rhoades Katharine Charlotte Roche Alice Frances Russell John Martin Saelen Oliver Clyde Small Margaret Hunt Smith Russell Best Smith
William Aloysius Flood
Margaret Frances Flynn
Coleman Francis Folan
David Thomas Foren
Grace Edith Smith
Irene Viola Gottberg William Spode Hammersley
*Myrtle Agnes Stuntzner
*Edith Ellen Hill Philip Joseph Howard Fred Hurst
*Claire Eleanor Sullivan Eric Ragnar Swanson Benjamin George Sykes Anna Elizabeth Tanneyhill Viola Bernice Thompson Emma Augusta Vietze
Dorothy Loretta Kelley
Edith Louise Knox
Sidney Harry Lappin
Virginia Layton
Hannah Wacks Eleanor Irene Walker
Annie Marion Lazzaro
Mary Helena Walsh
Olga Lennis
Dorothy Helen Wenzel
Cynthia Louise Lepper Louis Levine
Walter Durrell Wiggin
*Florence Estelle Littlefield *Eugene Lunden
Robert Wallace Williamson
The starred pupils were awarded John C. Lane medals. The United States History medal was awarded to Robert W. Williamson. The Ber- wick English prize for excellence in composition was awarded to Edith E. Hill. One of the Plimpton Art prizes was awarded to Hilma M. Nyborn.
Respectfully submitted,
L. W. GRANT.
*Mary Margaret Meade Toba Gertrude Metcalf Catherine Mary Mohan John Taylor Morrison Julia Anna Murphy Edward Martin Nee Mildred Alice Nelligan Doris Eleanor Newman Helen Marie Norris
Emily Carolyn Wheeler
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February 1, 1924.
Mr. H. H. Howes,
Superintendent of Schools, Norwood, Mass.
Since its organization the growth of the Junior High School, in numbers, has been steady and regular as is shown here; this shows the number of rooms by grades:
Grade 7
Grade 8 5
Grade 9
1922
6
4
1923
7
6
4
1924
7
7
5
1925
7
7?
6
There is no need to emphasize the meaning of this constant growth; but there is this that should be kept in mind: the High School will, in June, graduate a class of about 70; the outgoing class from the Junior High School, which will be the next year's Sophomore class, will number about 1.60, possibly more; next year's ninth grade will number 200, possibly more. In the two schools then there is to be a gain of considerably over a hundred pupils, and since these two divisions are in session at the same time, at least three and possibly four additional classrooms will be needed in addi- tion to those now in use. The Junior School at the present time numbers 693; in September 1925 it will probably number 750, if the promotion from grade 6, which contains 292 pupils, remains as in previous years.
Promotion Plan
Since the period of secondary education has been lengthened by the in- clusion of the seventh and eighth grades, it seems desirable, and along the lines of reasonable development, to increase the number of points re- quired for graduation from High School, and to make the increase obtain- able in these two grades. The ninth grade being no longer considered as a High School unit, and promotion therefrom being still on a credit basis, the inauguration of such a plan in the other two grades of the Junior School will make the promotion uniform in this unit as it is in other units of the system.
But some of the work in these two grades not being on a par in im- portance or difficulty with that of the following years should not be given the same credit. To overcome this difficulty, regard the school as being divided into two units instead of three-the combined seventh and eighth constituting one, the ninth the other, the normal number of points to be given in each division to be twenty or twenty-one, with an additional three in the eighth year for the modern language. This would mean that half the total number of points given in the lower division would fall into each of the two grades, i.e., ten or eleven in each, with the present twenty in the ninth to make up the total in the Junior School. This is but an outline
239
of the idea; the details would have to be worked out as required. But under this plan the manner and method of promotion would be uniformn from entrance to the seventh grade to graduation from High School.
Changes in Curricula
The barrenness of the course of study in the ninth grade should be re- lieved. At present the ninth-grade pupil is offered ancient history and college English-both college entrance requirements; and, whether he expects ever to enter college or not, he must take these or nothing. For the reading prescribed for college English we should be able to offer a course of reading in modern poetry, fiction, biography, and travel without interfering in any way with the other English work in the course.
Beside this there will be added another course in history planned along the lines of the "social science" courses as developed in the Lincoln School, the experimental Junior High School of Teachers' College, Columbia University.
These additions to the course of study of the ninth grade will at least give the pupil who has no intention or expectation of college, a course in English reading that will possibly rouse a greater interest than does the present course.
In the eighth year, mechanical drawing should be introduced with the shop work, instead of leaving it, as at present, to the ninth grade. The two are closely related, and our present method makes them seem two distinct, unrelated subjects. A mechanic must be able to read blue prints and plans, and this would seem to be the natural place to teach him to do it.
Athletics
Along with our assembly, we have been compelled to abandon our inter- class athletic contests except in the ninth grade. The eighth grade is barred from such activities because it is in session when the other grade is free, and when it is free for field work in the morning, the instructor's time is so fully occupied that they can be given none of his attention, which is an essential. The number of boys in the Junion School will be increased another year, too, and more help will be required in this department.
I would recommend that an additional man instructor be employed for the school, to serve as assistant in these two departments, physical training and practical arts.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE W. ALLEN.
Mr. H. H. Howes,
Superintendent of Schools, Norwood, Massachusetts.
I submit herewith my report as Director of Physical Education for Boys of the Senior and Junior High Schools for the year 1923.
The work in physical training for boys was carried on along the same
240
lines as it has been for the past two years. Each boy of Senior and Junior High Schools continued to take two forty-five minute periods of gymna- sium work a week. Only thirty minutes of each period was devoted to actual physical development. The remaining fifteen minutes was con- sumed in passing between the High School and the Civic Association and dressing and undressing.
At the beginning of the school year all boys of the Senior and Junior High Schools were examined by the school physicians. There were 136 boys in Senior High and 221 in Junior High. Of the 357, four were de- clared unable to take physical training. Six boys were put in "second class." The requirements for boys in this class were much less rigid than those for boys of the "first class."
The regular class work, as in the past two years, consisted of drills, calisthenics, apparatus exercises and games. The ends sought in all class work were correct posture, proper physical development and coordination of mind and body.
Special corrective work was done with children who needed individual attention. This is a very important phase of the work in physical educa- tion and it would be greatly to the advantage of the boys if more time could be devoted to it.
The Senior High School basket ball squad consisted of thirty-five men; of this number ten were considered members of the school team.
The remaining candidates formed class teams and played a series of games for the championship of the Senior High School. The school team played a schedule of eighteen games with outside school teams. The season ended March 4, 1923, with Norwood winning fifteen games and losing three.
In the Junior High School a class schedule was arranged with a team representing each room-eleven teams in all. Toward the end of the season an All-Junior High team played the Watertown Junior High and also played a series of three games with the winner of the Senior High Class Series.
In April, thirty-two boys presented themselves as candidates for the Senior High School baseball team. Fifteen made the first team and the others formed the nuclei of class teams. A schedule of seventeen games was played and Norwood was victorious in twelve.
In the Junior High School a class league was formed and a silver loving cup was awarded to the championship room team. An All-Junior High team played a final game with the Senior High School team.
The football team representing Norwood High School played a schedule of ten games, losing one game to Everett High School by the score of ยท 2-0. Two post-season games were played, one with the Clifton High School of New Jersey, the other with the Medford High School. Clifton High School was defeated, but Norwood met a better team in Medford and the better team conquered.
I would like at this time to speak of the wonderful spirit that was mani-
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fested among the pupils in both the Senior and Junior High Schools. This spirit has been an important factor in whatever success my athletic teams have had and, I believe, can be attributed directly to the cooperation of Mr. Grant, Mr. Allen and the entire faculty.
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